Jurassic World is arguably one of the best movies of the year.
It has been 15 years since the last time the dinosaurs woke up and wreaked havoc on human, and the long wait was really worth it. Many things have changed during 15 years. CGI has made a giant leap forward, and many things that used to be impossible technically have not become possible, thanks to more powerful computers and super high speed and high definition cameras. Anyway, technology alone cannot make a great film. It can only help contribute to making a great film. That’s why we have witnessed a fair share of CGI laden disasters during the last few years. Godzilla, Transformers, Superman. You name them. Fortunately, Jurassic World did not fall into the same crack, but rose and shone.
The first thing they did right is to build a strong, creative and attractive story, with innovative and original touches. That’s easier said than done, considering that this is a reboot after a trilogy. The setup is quite similar, a zoo full of ancient creatures and plants. However, it’s the population of the zoo that got a refresh. Besides the traditional types that got featured in all the previous movies, there were some new additions, which made the movie more exciting and different, and gave viewers something new to saviour and be surprised.
Secondly, it’s undeniable that the setting is beautiful. Thanks to the big budget, the technology, and workmanship and the design and architecture, we were able to witness a truly grand and beautiful island that got transformed totally and brought back to millions of years ago. It was so real that it looked like your neighbourhood park, with some dinosaurs added to the scene. The dinosaurs also looked pretty amazing. Their skins looked authentic, their movements were fluid, and their expression was more real than your stuff toys or model animals. No wonder why kids flocked to Toys’ R Us to bring back home one of those dinosaurs as a memento after watching the movie. Those dinosaur characters are simply too smart and too engaging that you cannot avoid bringing them home to see them again, play with them and relive the magnificent moments of the movie a little longer.
Another piece of the puzzles that makes the success of the movie is the strong acting muscles flexed by the actors and actresses. Chris Platt, the rising star of action movies, take on the role of the male lead, together with Bryce Dallas Howard, the daughter of famed director Ron Howard. They worked well with each other, and the chemistry could be seen amidst all the chaos and terror brought by the loose ancient giants. Chris showed that he could be the next action star. He was humorous, he had the look, the physique, and most importantly, the charisma. We started noticing him in Guardians of the Galaxy, and we got hooked on him when he transformed himself to the tiny superhero Ant Man. This guy is surely on the launch pad to super stardom.
Bryce Dallas Howard has starred in quite a number of films, but she has not really shone or made any significant impact yet. This time she did. Starring at the workaholic aunt and director of the zoo, she managed to portray both the strong side of a woman who was ready to defend her job and her career, and the soft spots when it came to protecting her nephews, who got strangled at the heart of the terror and had lives hung on a thread literally. As the movie unfolded, her character also evolved, escaped from the shell she had been building around herself, and showed her true emotions, true self and true colours. That was another element that makes the success of the film. The human is still at the heart of the movie, not lost in the action and the fight between forces. That’s what keeps the movie from becoming a senseless show of special effects and explosions, and that is the very reason why we still need strong actors and actresses, even though the technology can construct artificial, fake human to act in the film.
All in all, it’s a movie worth watching, and since the DVD version will hit the stores soon, consider grabbing a copy and reliving the adventures during this year end season (well, there are a lot of public holidays and long weekends this year, aren’t they?)
As usual, lots and lots of photos to whet your appetite:
The trainer facing his trainees in the game of life and death.
Say Hello to the new residence of Jurassic World. This massive water giant can snap a T-rex in a single bite.
In the rush to rescue the curious kids who got trapped in the jungle.
A softer side of the iron lady
A heated argument on how best to handle the saga that could potentially kill them all
The crazy scientist whose experiment gone rough and who so successfully hid a totally different face behind that shiny smile.
And now, the trailer. Enjoy.
My World 